tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68639462016-07-29T21:00:43.275+03:00Chan'ad Bahraini(Scomberomorous maculatus Bahrainius)Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.comBlogger355125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1116374005096192582005-05-18T02:46:00.000+03:002005-05-18T02:56:39.960+03:00This blog has moved<p>This blog has moved to a <a href="http://chanad.weblogs.us/">new host</a>.</p> <p>Please update your bookmark:</p> <ul><li><a href="http://chanad.weblogs.us/">http://chanad.weblogs.us/</a>,</li></ul> <p>and RSS feed:</p> <ul><li><a href="feed:http://chanad.weblogs.us/?feed=rss2">http://chanad.weblogs.us/?feed=rss2</a>.</li></ul> <p>There will be no new posts added here.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1116287448582505752005-05-17T01:23:00.000+03:002005-05-17T03:10:55.816+03:00Congrats Kuwait<a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/051605kuwaitwomenvot/im:/050516/photos_pl_afp/050516221833_gg8i2qz9_photo0"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/kuwaitvote1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Photo source: <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/051605kuwaitwomenvot/im:/050516/photos_pl_afp/050516221833_gg8i2qz9_photo0">AFP/Yasser al-Zayyat via Yahoo! News</a></span><br /><p>I'm a few hours late, but I wanted to join everyone else in congratulating our Kuwaiti friends on their parliament's approval of the bill to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5010362,00.html">give women the right to vote</a> (at last!: <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/women-are-kuwaiti-too.html">1</a>, <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/05/hurrah-for-womens-suffrage.html">2</a>). This is a sign to everyone in the region that perseverence (lots of it!) and reason can pay off in the end (<a href="http://zaydoun.blogspot.com/2005/05/blog-post_111625867642395894.html">sort of</a>). Read some reactions from the Kuwaiti blogosphere by browsing through the <a href="http://safat.kuwaitblogs.com/">KuwaitBlogs feed aggregator</a>.</p> <p>Why so glum boys?</p> <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/051605kuwaitwomenvot/im:/050516/481/kuw10505161846"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/kuwaitvote2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >Photo source: <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/051605kuwaitwomenvot/im:/050516/481/kuw10505161846">AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari via Yahoo! News</a></span><br />-------<br /><p>PS: Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I'm trying to move the blog to a new host, so I've been busy sorting that out. I'll publish details in a day or two hopefully.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115815212628504002005-05-11T23:17:00.000+03:002005-05-12T09:14:56.290+03:00Redressing torture<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_41021.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_41021.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote><p>Another former detainee said that while he was interrogated at al-Qala'a in 1989, he was subjected to torture two or three times a week for a period of one month:</p> <blockquote>The interrogators sometimes came for me together, sometimes separately. They would beat me with cables and sticks, and kick my head and back with their heavy military boots. Once I was tied to a chair and my ankle was pierced with a battery-operated drill. Friday nights were the worst - the guards would go out and get drunk and then come back and beat the prisoners.</blockquote> <p> After his release, he underwent surgery on his spinal cord as a result of his treatment and his body still bears other scars of torture, including cigarette burns and a four-inch knife wound on his hand.</p></blockquote> <p><span style="font-size:78%;">--Amnesty International, <i><a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/bahrain/document.do?id=D2A94E001BC2B7A5802569A600600E0C">Bahrain: Violation of Human Rights</a></i>, 1991</span></p> <p>Tomorrow, representatives of the Bahraini government will go before the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/">UN Committee Against Torture</a> (CAT) in Geneva to present its report about the implementation of policies in Bahrain to satisfy the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/cat.htm">Convention against Torture</a>. Two separate shadow reports will be presented to the CAT by the <a href="http://bhrs.org/">Bahrain Human Rights Society</a> (BHRS) and the (<a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/al-khawaja-affair.html">outlawed</a>) <a href="http://www.bchr.net/?eng=1">Bahrain Centre for Human Rights</a> (BCHR) (in co-operation with the National Committee for Martyrs and Victims of Torture, NCMVT).</p> <p>After reading the <a href="http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G04/441/82/PDF/G0444182.pdf">government's submission (pdf, 125KB)</a> it becomes apparent why independent shadow reports are needed to provide a full picture of the situation. The government report is filled with long boring quotes of Bahraini laws, but very little information about if and how these are actually being implemented on the ground. The only interesting bit is the way they try to sell <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/repeal-56.html">Royal Decree 56</a> as a good thing (page 8):</p> <blockquote> 16 (a) (iii): In order to make this equality truly meaningful and to turn a new page on the situation that had obtained prior to the amnesty, so that it would not affect the future of the reform movement, the general amnesty erased all the criminal and civil effects arising from the commission of these and related offences and discontinued prosecutions brought in relation thereto prior to the entry into force of the Amnesty Decree. This was spelt out in Legislative Decree No. 56 of 2002, which interprets certain provisions of Legislative Decree No. 10 of 2001, by which the general amnesty for offences against national security was declared (see annexes 3 and 4). It is worth noting, in this connection, that Legislative Decree No. 56 of 2002 provides a legislative interpretation that is based on the Constitution and the law and reflects the actual state of affairs where security and stability have been provided in order to look towards a brighter future in which society will be organized in accordance with the National Action Charter and the implementation of the Kingdom’s programme of reform;</blockquote> <p>All the Bahraini human rights groups have been campaigning against Law 56, yet the government wants to pull a fast one and portray the law as being in the best interests of society. I dont think the CAT will buy it. This is very similar to when Labour Minister <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/conclusions-on-discrimination.html">Al-Alawi claimed before the CERD</a> that there is no such thing as discrimination in Bahrain. Indeed, it is a recurring theme for our government to think that it can implement reforms without admitting and reddressing the mistakes of the past. The assumption seems to be that the people will forget... but that <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/black-saturday.html">is not the case</a>. Personally, I don't think anything less than a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission">Truth and Reconciliation Commission</a> will allow everyone to close this dark chapter of the country's history.</p> <p>I've had a chance to read a draft of the shadow report being presented to the Committee by the BCHR. Among the points raised are:</p> <ul><li>that criminals of torture (committed prior to 2001) enjoy immunity, due to Law 56</li> <li>that the courts have declined all cases against alleged torturers lodged by victims</li> <li>that there are no specific statutory remedies or rehabilitation for torture victims</li> <li>that no known compensation cases for acts of torture have been successfully pursued in the courts to date.</li></ul> <p>According to one member of the NCMVT that I spoke to about two months ago, the government did actually privately propose to compensate all the victims for their torture-related medical costs, in return for not pursuing the matter in the courts. He told me that the offer was rejected because they were more concerned about the truth being released, and because they doubted the government's sincerity for certain reasons.</p> <span class="frontonly"><p><b><a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/05/redressing-torture.html#more">Continue reading this post</a></b></p></span> <span class="fullpost"> <a name="more"></a> <p>It is important to understand the role that torture played in the government's strategy during the dark era of the State Security Law (1975 - 2000). Not only was it used to get false confessions, but it was also used to spread fear and to prevent people from spreading information. Up until just a few years ago, people would not discuss politics in public areas without first looking over their shoulders to make sure that no one else is listening. At the time there was no internet, no blogs, no satellite tv. This was how the government managed to control the flow of information.</p> <p>So how brutal did the torture have to be achieve its goal? In a <a href="http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G97/101/13/pdf/G9710113.pdf">1997 report to the UNHCR (pdf 109KB)</a>, the Special Rapporteur described the situation in Bahrain's torture cells:</p> <blockquote>The methods of torture reported include: falaqa (beatings on the soles of the feet); severe beatings, sometimes with hosepipes; suspension of the limbs in contorted positions accompanied by blows to the body; enforced prolonged standing; sleep deprivation; preventing victims from relieving themselves; immersion in water to the point of near drowning; burnings with cigarettes; piercing the skin with a drill; sexual assault, including the insertion of objects into the penis or anus; threats of execution or of harm to family members; and placing detainees suffering from sickle cell anaemia (said to be prevalent in the country) in airconditioned rooms in the winter, which can lead to injury to internal organs.</blockquote> <p>A fuller picture is created when explained in the victims own words. In a <a href="http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/bahrain/">1997 report by Human Rights Watch</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Hussain, a nineteen year old from Shahraqan, told Human Rights Watch what happened after he after he was brought to Qal'a early one morning:</p> <blockquote>They took me upstairs to an office, I don't know whose. There they told me to stand on one leg and bray like a donkey. "What am I accused of?" I asked. "Get some manners," the officer said, and he hit me and left. Then someone came in wearing a dishdasha [traditional white shoulder-to-ankle garment worn by men in the Gulf]. I recognized him from photos I had seen: It was Adil Flaifil. He asked me if I was Hussain Shahraqani and I said yes. He had a piece of paper marked "confidential" on top, otherwise blank. He told me to sign it. I refused. They took me to a different room and trussed me up with a pole under my knees. There were four men, two in uniform. They kicked me and took turns hitting me with a hose. After half an hour of this they took me back to Adil Flaifil, who told me again to sign. I refused again. I went back and forth several times between the hanging and beating and the questioning. At one point he [Flaifil] asked for my hand. Two people held my hand, and he burned the back of my hand with his cigarette [displays light scars].</blockquote> <p>Hussain asserted that his tormentors on this occasion also used electricity to inflict pain. Adil Flaifil, he said, "attached some wires to a piece of metal he was holding against my hand. The shock knocked me to the floor."</p> <p>"Then they took me into a corridor and put my cuffed hands over the top of a door," Hussain continued:</p> <blockquote> so I was hanging with my toes just touching the ground. I fell down when they finally let me off the door, and they beat me with a hose again for what seemed like a long time. They saidthey would charge me with bombings and planning attacks with bombs. Later they said I would only have to confess to incitement. I still refused. Finally they said I had to sign a statement that I would not do these things. That I did sign. They gave me one more beating, till my mouth bled, and then they let me go.</blockquote></blockquote> <p>You can read many more similar interviews in this <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/bahrain/document.do?id=D7ED407FD3A20EC8802569A5007156E2">1995 Amnesty International report</a>, and an earlier <a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/bahrain/document.do?id=D2A94E001BC2B7A5802569A600600E0C">AI report issued in 1991</a>.</p> <p>Sadly though, not everyone was fortunate enough to live to tell the story, as there have been several reported cases of detainees who died during the interrogation period. It's not for the faint-hearted but if you can handle it, there are some photos of the corpses displaying injuries allegedly caused by torture at <a href="http://hussainalashiri11.jeeran.com/favorite_links_2.html">this site</a> (scroll down to the second set of pictures). This case was documented in 1995 AI report:</p> <blockquote> The second case is that of Sa'id 'Abd al-Rasul al-Iskafi, a 16-year-old secondary school student from al-Sanabes who died ten days (not two days, as initially reported) after his arrest. According to information received by Amnesty International, he had been summoned for interrogation by Mabahith Amn al-Dawla (State Security Intelligence) on 29 June 1995 in connection with his alleged participation in anti-government protests. He was reportedly suspected of having sprayed graffiti on walls near his home. Upon arrival at the headquarters of State Security Intelligence, Sa'id al-Iskafi was taken into custody. On 8 July, his family was told to collect his body from the Military Hospital. According to accounts received, the security forces prevented his family from burying his body in the local cemetery in al-Sanabes, and he was later buried at a cemetery in the nearby district of al-Na'im, where he was born.</blockquote> <p>It should be quite easy now to understand why the victims of torture and their relatives refuse to give up their campaign for justice. I expect that tomorrow in Geneva the goverment representatives will do their best to dodge the issue of Law 56. But one can hope...</p> <p>Read my related posts: <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/repeal-56.html">Repeal 56</a></p></span>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115827527907679062005-05-11T18:46:00.000+03:002005-05-11T19:27:06.993+03:00WSJ on BahrainOnline<p>Ali Abdulemam and <a href="http://bahrainonline.org/">BahrainOnline.org</a> are the subject of an article on page A1 of today's Wall Street Journal.</p> <blockquote><p><b> Democracy Project in Bahrain Falters</b></p> <p>MANAMA, Bahrain -- Ali Abdulemam, a young Islamic activist and founder of a popular Arabic-language Web site, made a bold decision three years ago. He started using his real name online.</p> <p>He shed his pseudonym after a spurt of political change in this Gulf kingdom touted by President Bush as a model for the Arab world. The government emptied prisons of political prisoners, held elections and let hundreds return from exile abroad. "I believed you could speak and not go to jail," says the 27-year-old computer engineer, who combines his Web work with a day job at an American technology-consulting company.</p> <p>In late February, amid boisterous debate about democracy following elections in Iraq, Mr. Abdulemam was thrown in prison, accused of fomenting hatred of the government and other charges.</p></blockquote> <p>Our <a href="http://freeali.blogspot.com/">Free Ali blog</a> also gets a mention:</p> <blockquote>Before the government announced the arrests, news spread online. A crowd of protesters gathered outside a detention center where the three were held. In early March, al-Jazeera broadcast footage of Mr. Abdulemam in handcuffs. Fellow bloggers set up a <a href="http://freeali.blogspot.com/">FreeAli Web site</a>. The Committee to Protect Journalists in New York and other groups protested. The U.S. ambassador to Bahrain privately queried the Information Minister about the arrests but didn't comment in public.</blockquote> <p>Read the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB111577688540630083,00.html?mod=home%5Fpage%5Fone%5Fus">full article (WSJ subscription required)</a>. Thanks to <a href="http://www.liberalsagainstterrorism.com/drupal/?q=blog/4">Praktike</a> for the heads up.</p> <p>Read my previous posts about <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/free-ali.html">the BahrainOnline arrests</a></p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115401739525351862005-05-06T19:41:00.000+03:002005-05-07T04:17:56.030+03:00Constitutional reform, again<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5232.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5232.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>The second in the series of protests demanding constitutional reform was held today, in the empty ground next to Dana Mall (read about the first protest <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/constitutional-reforms-first.html">here</a>). When the plan to hold the protest was <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/more-of-same.html">announced a couple weeks back</a>, it seemed as though the government would once again deem it illegal. However, a few days the Interior Ministry <a href="http://www.mahmood.tv/index.php/blog/1596">gave the go-ahead</a> for the demonstration, so everything went smoothly today without any trouble.</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5274.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5274.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>Today's protest definitely felt smaller than the first one, but it was still very big. I'm no good at guessing numbers anyway, but it was especially difficult today because the venue was a perfectly flat open ground, with very few vantage points to make a decent estimate. If I were to hazard a guess I might say around 10 or 12 thousand, but don't quote me on it. It would be better to wait a couple hours for the news agencies to publish their reports. I've made another one of those panorama images to give you a sense of the scale, but I wasn't high enough to capture the full depth of the crowd. Click on the icon below to see it:</p> <a href="http://img116.echo.cx/img116/9085/dasturipano3kz.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img116.echo.cx/img116/9085/dasturipano3kz.th.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>What was very significant about this protest though was that it was not a one-party show dominated entirely by Al-Wefaq, like the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/constitutional-reforms-first.html">first one</a>. As I <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/more-of-same.html">suspected</a> might happen, all of the four boycotting political societies made their presence known this time. <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/where-is-everyone-else.html">At last</a>. This was the first major protest in a long time that did not have a sectarian feel to it. So even though today's demonstration was smaller than the last one, for me it was more significant because it was so much more representative of the population. I do hope this will continue to be the case throughout the rest of the campaign. Below you can see a cluster of, I believe, <a href="http://www.aldemokrati.org/">NDAS</a> supporters:</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5230.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5230.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>Incidentally, the International Crisis Group today released <a href="http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?l=1&amp;id=3404">a report</a> (hat tip to <a href="http://www.mahmood.tv/index.php/blog/1600?">Mahmood</a>) that contains an excellent overview of the political situation Bahrain, as well as urgent recommendations to all parties about what needs to be done to defuse the situation. Among the recommendations to the government is to reduce the legislative authority of the parliament's appointed chamber (the key demand of today's protest). I really hope that both the government and the opposition take the recommendations of this report seriously and show some courage.</p> <span class="frontonly"><p><b><a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/05/constitutional-reform-again.html#more">Click here to see the rest of the photos</a></b></p></span> <span class="fullpost"> <br> <a name="more"></a> <p><b>More photos:</b></p> <p>Before the protest started a cop issued parking tickets to some of the demonstrators for parking their cars on the road island, so a small argument ensued. (Take a good look, because this is one of the rare chances you'll get to witness traffic cops in Bahrain actually doing something).</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5217.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5217.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>This protest had a very Woodstock-ish feel to it (not that I've ever been to Woodstock). As you can see in the photo below the protest took place in a big open ground, and people came walking in from all directions. Rather than an agry march, today many people came and sat down on the ground or a chair, and listened to the speeches and talked amongst themselves. The weather was great and the kids especially seemed to enjoy the opportunity to run around in the big open space or build castles in the sand.</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5220.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5220.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5246.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5246.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5223.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5223.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5239.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5239.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>Some women:</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5240.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5240.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>In the cartoon below, on the right side it say "The Nineties" and shows a person trapped in a bottle (The height of the civil uprising in Bahrain tooke place during the 1990s). In the left panel it says "The days of reform" and shows a person in a bottle with the 2002 Consitution blocking the opening.</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5224.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5224.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5233.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5233.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5234.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5234.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5250.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5250.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5252.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5252.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5255.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5255.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>NDAS president Ibrahim Shareef being interviewed by a reporter from Al Jazeera television:</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5263.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5263.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>Speakers at the podium:</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5275.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5275.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5261.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5261.jpg" border="0" /></a> </span>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115210081814284102005-05-04T23:57:00.000+03:002005-05-05T19:42:26.696+03:00The right to know<a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/GDNpage1-4Apr05.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/GDNpage1-4Apr05.jpg'></a> <p>"<span style="font-weight: bold;">The right to know: Premier vows Press freedom</span>" reads the frontpage headline of today's GDN. The first paragraph of <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=111024&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28045">the article</a> reads:</p> <blockquote>Freedom of speech is sacrosanct and will not be touched, the Premier told leading Bahrain journalists yesterday. Press freedom is the country's first line of defence, he said, vowing to make citizens fully aware of "every movement". <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=111024&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28045">(Continued)</a></blockquote> <p>Now you would expect a proper news article about Press freedom in Bahrain to present the opinions of both the government and those who diagree with the government. But as is <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/02/checking-self-interests.html">all too common</a> in the local Press and media, only the government propaganda is presented in this article. Whether it's editorial self-censorship or direct orders from the government, the Press obviously feels pressure from government.</p> <p>This is why I (and most other bloggers, I suspect) am so much against the government's <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/05/web-registration-commences.html">website registration plan</a>. The Internet is the last refuge for those of us who want to read about and discuss issues concerning Bahrain in a free unrestricted environment. If all Bahraini website owners were to register with the government, then they would face the same pressures as our local Press. And inevitably, the level of discussion online about political issues would be dumbed down to that of our newspapers. I don't want that to happen.</p><br />--------<br /><p>On a related note, there is a short mention of this topic in the widely distributed <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=2847">Foreign Policy</a> magazine.</p><br />--------<br /><p><b>Update (05-Apr-05)</b>: The UAE-based Gulf News (not to be confused with Bahrain's GDN) published some excellent op-eds and reports about Press Freedom in the UAE and the Gulf to mark World Press Freedom Day. Be sure to read the Editor-in-Chief's candid op-ed: <a href="http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/OpinionNF.asp?ArticleID=163285">Self-censorship virus plagues media</a>. It seems that our friends in the UAE are genuinely moving in the right direction. The UAE leadership also marked the day with speeches about the issue, not unlike how our Prime Minister spoke about the issue (as shown in the article at the top). The crucial difference is that UAE leaders recognize that problems exist, and seem to want to genuinely overcome them. In <a href="http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/OpinionNF.asp?ArticleID=163286">his address</a>, the Dubai's Crown Prince said:</p> <blockquote>It is no longer possible to sell illusions, to justify failure with manufactured excuses or to re-label defeats as victories. Technology has increased people's access to information and has forced the Arab world with all its states, governments and societies to face the realities and challenges of the new age.</blockquote> <p>And among the things <a href="http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/OpinionNF.asp?ArticleID=163290">said by the UAE's Minister of Information</a> was:</p> <blockquote>There is a need to change the way that our media, and the people working within it, work. We need an environment that encourages innovative thinking and dialogue, even if that means that governments are embarrassed. The media should be able to question governments, and to criticise their policies if there is something to be criticised.</blockquote> <p>These guys are talking about changing the situation, whereas the Bahraini leadership talks about the prevailing status quo as though it is absolutely perfect. Bahrain could learn a thing or two from its brethren.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115246915867705562005-05-04T23:03:00.000+03:002005-05-05T02:03:40.380+03:00Tasawwuf Bahraini<a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5210.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5210.jpg'></a> <p>I attended a small performance of devotional singing by Bahraini sufis this evening. It was a few days late, but the purpose of the event was to <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/mawlid-al-rasool.html">celebrate the Prophet's birthday</a>. It was a very moving performance, which involved about ten men singing devotional poetry in heterophony, following one lead singer (no instrumentation). They had excellent control over their voices, producing an extremely rich and powerful overall sound.</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5209.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5209.jpg'></a> <p>I was quite surprised to read the announcement of this event in the newspaper a couple days ago, because prior to that I had no idea that there were any active sufi groups in Bahrain. I knew that they must have existed on the island in previous generations, but when I asked around most people didn't have any idea about what sufism is. But today I learned that there are actually several sufi orders represented on the island (including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qadiriyyah">Qadiriya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naqshbandi">Naqshbandiya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azeemia">Azeemia</a>). I'm wondering now... does anyone know if any of the shia sufi orders are active in Bahrain?</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115116298236906002005-05-03T12:51:00.000+03:002005-05-03T19:36:47.390+03:00Web registration commences<a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5184.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5184.jpg'></a> <p>Around 40 or 50 people showed up today in front of the Ministry of Information to protest its decision to press charges against the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/free-ali.html">BahrainOnline trio</a>. Although the three (Ali Abdulemam, Hussain Yousif and Mohammed Al-Mousawi) were released from prison in March, they still face charges for the material that was posted on their website, and are not allowed to leave the country.<p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5187.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5187.jpg'></a> <p>Despite this however, the government is going ahead with its plan to <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/rsf-denounces-web-registration.html">obligate all Bahraini websites to register</a> with the Ministry of Information, ridiculously claiming that "it is intended to protect people running websites". In <a href="http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?CategoryId=1&ArticleId=67927">this article</a> in today's Bahrain Tribune, Jamal Dawood (head of Press and Publication at the MoI) claims that "many" website owners have already come forward to be registered. But this can't be too many since most the popular online forums have agreed that they will not register. And certainly all of the bloggers I have spoken to are ardently against the registration also (including myself).</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5194.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5194.jpg'></a> <p>A couple of posts ago <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/rsf-denounces-web-registration.html">I mentioned</a> that Batelco (Bahrain's sole ISP) had blocked <a href="http://www.proxify.com/">Proxify.com</a>. Well it seems that today Batelco has taken steps so that users can't access blocked sites using many of the freely available proxy servers. Not to worry though, as there are many other ways to get around this. But this is significant. Earlier, Batelco's block on sites was just nominal and very easy to get around. But it seems that now the government is actively trying to make sure that blocked sites are actually blocked, to go along with its website registration mandate.</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5188.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5188.jpg'></a> <p>And I have also been informed by a friend that my blog is no longer accessible from computers at the University of Bahrain's Sakhir campus. (I'll take that as a compliment for now).</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5205.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5205.jpg'></a> <p>Well, happy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Press_Freedom_Day">World Press Freedom Day</a> all.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1115078666251625362005-05-02T21:31:00.000+03:002005-05-03T03:17:56.990+03:00Upcoming<p>So I've added Bahrain as a metro on <a href="http://upcoming.org/metro/bh/bh/bh/">Upcoming.org</a>, which is a nifty free online events calendar website. The cool thing is that the site publishes RSS feeds and iCal feeds, and it will send e-mail reminders, so that you don't have to check the site everyday to find out what's happening. I've started adding events, but it would be good if others would add stuff too. Let's see if it works. Click <a href="http://upcoming.org/metro/bh/bh/bh/">here</a> to check it out.</p> <p>On a related note, don't forget that Alliance Francaise has arranged a French Cinema Week this week, in which they are screening a French film everyday at Dana Cinema (for FREE, of course). There are only two movies left though. Tomorrow (Tuesday) is <a href="http://upcoming.org/event/18852/">Moi César, 10 ans 1/2, 1m39</a>, and on Wednesday they're screening the much celebrated <a href="http://upcoming.org/event/18853/">Podium</a>.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1114112265485826752005-04-28T17:23:00.000+03:002005-04-29T21:01:56.363+03:00Al Khawaja revisited<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/abdulhadi1.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/abdulhadi1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>More from my backlog of unfinished posts. So way back in December 2004, a week or so after he was released from prison, I interviewed <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/al-khawaja-affair.html">Abdulhadi Al Khawaja</a>, the vice-president of the now outlawed (but still active) Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. Somehow I never got around to posting about the interview until now, so sorry for the delay. Even though the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/al-khawaja-affair.html">Al Khawaja Affair</a> is old news now, many of the issues discussed in this interview are still very relevant today (so that's my lame excuse for this being so late).</p> <p>A bit of background for those of you who are new. On Sept 24, 2004, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja delivered a speech as part of a symposium about poverty and economic rights in Bahrain, in which he criticized the Prime Minister. The next day <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/09/north-wind-and-sun.html">he was arrested</a> and the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) was <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/09/centre-for-human-rights-shut-down.html">shut down</a> on orders from the government. During the two months that he was in prison as the trial went on, his supporters held protests on a regular basis. On the morning of Nov 21, the court <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/11/its-only-just-begun.html">sentenced Al Khawaja</a> to one year in prison, but it was announced later in the day that he had been <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/11/creating-avenues-for-change.html">given a Royal Pardon</a> from the King and was released. The BCHR remains outlawed by the government, but it has been very <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/02/discrimination-report.html">active</a> nonetheless. You can read all of my posts about the Al Khawaja Affair <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/al-khawaja-affair.html">here</a>.</p> <p>My interview with him took place on Dec 2, twelve days after his release from prison -- so bear in mind that some of the stuff discussed may be outdated. I got his phone number and gave him a call telling him about my blog, and he was was kind enough to invite me to his home and make the time to speak with me.</p> <span class="frontonly"><p><b><a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/al-khawaja-revisited.html#more">Click here</a> to read/listen to the interview</b></p></span> <span class="fullpost"><a name="more"></a><p>The interview was recorded on video, but to save download times for you I'm only sharing the audio, reduced down to 16kbps quality. I've also edited out most of my own voice in the audio to save space (and because I can't stand listening to my own voice... and sorry for the sound of me saying "uh huh" throughout the interview... I didn't realize that the microphone was picking it up). I've written below my question (paraphrased, not the exact question), followed by a link to Abdulhadi's response. The sound files have been placed in a little Flash player, so what you need to do is click on the Flash icon below each question, which will open up a new browser window and load the player. (If you have just arrived from Venus and you don't have Flash already installed for your browser, then get it from <a href="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash">here</a>). The files are anywhere between 100KB and 300KB each, so it may take a while to load depending on your connection speed. Please email me or leave a comment if it's not working for some reason.</p> <p>Also bear in mind that what is presented here is not the entire interview, just clips. And that not all of the clips are in their original order. On with the show:</p><br /><p>Q: Why did you choose to publicly criticize the Prime Minister?</p> <a href="http://img255.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi015fk.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Q: What would be achieved if the Prime Minister was replaced?</p> <a href="http://img161.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi026fp.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>On Old Guard vs Reformists:</p> <a href="http://img241.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi032zp.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Q: Didn't your statements of criticism sideline the progress made by the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/09/mckinsey-on-labour-market-reforms.html">Crown Prince's reforms project (McKinsey)</a> to some extent?</p> <a href="http://img249.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi042pl.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Q: What indications are there that make you so convinced that real economic reforms will not take place under the current government?</p> <a href="http://img39.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi0456pw.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Q: In what way do you think your statements "weakened" the Prime Minister and the Old Guard?</p> <a href="http://img193.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi057gf.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>On the urgent needs of the people, and the campaign to satisfy them:</p> <a href="http://img221.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi067bm.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Q: What kind of activities will this future campaign consist of?</p> <a href="http://img229.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi076fs.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Q: What will be the specific objectives of this campaign?</p> <a href="http://img98.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi086dk.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>I asked him to respond to criticism that the effect of the planned demonstrations and strikes would hurt the economy rather than help it.</p> <a href="http://img162.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi143sd.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>I then put forward the idea that public criticism of the Prime Minister or the government might make it harder for the Reformists within the regime to implement change. I reminded Abdulhadi that "saving face" and reputation is a big factor in regional politics, and suggested that public criticism might only provoke the Old Guard to seek means to strengthen its own position.</p> <a href="http://img218.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi093fl.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Since Abdulhadi didn't buy my argument that criticism might cause the Old Guard to strengthen itself, I asked him to explain specifically how the activities of the campaign would necessarily translate into political change.</p> <a href="http://img245.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi106ma.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>I wasn't fully satisfied with his explanations of how the campaign would necessarily activate change, so I kept questioning him on the subject for a while. But then he admitted that he doesn't have all the answers regarding the specific dynamics of political change, and further explained that as a human rights activist it is not his responsibility to have them.</p> <a href="http://img255.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi117gg.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>Abdulhadi's statements against the Prime Minister were very political in nature, and some people thought that this did not fall under the domain of human rights. So I asked him for his opinion on where the border (if any) between human rights and politics lies. I also asked him to respond to criticism that the BCHR's relationship with Al Wefaq is too close.</p> <a href="http://img247.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi124pq.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>A bit more about the BCHR's relations with Al Wefaq and other groups.</p> <a href="http://img44.echo.cx/my.php?image=abdulhadi150ky.swf" target="_blank"><img src="http://img1.imageshack.us/flash.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p>That's it for now. I will try to write a follow up post with my own feedback and an analysis of what was discussed in light of recent events. But for right now, that's all.</p></span>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1114547864473798182005-04-26T21:23:00.000+03:002005-04-28T19:44:05.660+03:00RSF denounces web registration<p>Regarding the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/register-or-face-legal-action.html">government's plan</a> to require all Bahraini webmasters to register with the information ministry, <a href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13380">Reporters Without Borders</a> has issued this statement:</p> <blockquote>Reporters Without Borders voiced alarm at Bahrain's decision announced on 24 April 2005 to oblige all websites dealing with the country to register with the ministry of Information. "This does not happen in any democratic country and is a threat to press freedom," the organisation said. <a href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13380">(Continued)</a></blockquote> <p>It also contains the details pertaining to us bloggers:</p> <blockquote>[Jamal Dawood, head of press and publications at the information ministry] admitted that he did not know what a weblog was, but said that even personal websites would have to comply with the new procedure. He added that it would not be possible to register online and registration would have to be done directly at the information ministry. <b>After each registration was validated, the person in charge would receive an ID number that would have to be posted on the site</b>. [wtf???]</blockquote> <p>Do the government officials who are inventing these laws even know what the internet is?? It sounds as though a government employee from the "Vehicle Registration" department at the Directorate of Traffic got moved to the Information Ministry. Surely this is a joke of some sort. I can't wait to find out what else they have in store for us.</p> <p>I'm just wondering... does this mean I have to register <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanad/">my Flickr account</a> with the ministry also?</p> <p>Do read the <a href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=13380">full RSF statement</a>.</p><br />----------<br /><p><b>Update (27-Apr-05)</b>: I've been reading over the RSF article and wanted to bring to your attention this quote from Mr Jamal Dawood:</p> <blockquote>"Registration will be automatic and no-one will be turned down whatever the content."</blockquote> <p>Does he really expect people to believe this when just two months ago <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/free-ali.html">three website admins were arrested</a> due to the contents of their site? And after the <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=105819&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=27349">GDN reported</a> that the government will continue to block websites "inciting hatred against prominent figures, ministers and leading officials". This reminds me of when Labour Minister Al Alawi <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/conclusions-on-discrimination.html">stated before a UN Committee</a> in Geneva that racial discrimination does not exist whatsoever in Bahrain.</p> <p>Oh and guess what? The government has now blocked <a href="http://www.proxify.com/">Proxify.com</a> also. They really seem to believe that it's possible to control the internet.</p><br />---------<br /><p><b>Update (28-Apr-05)</b>: The story has been picked up by AP News: <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D89OEAF80.htm?campaign_id=apn_tech_down">Bahrain site registration sparks protests</a> (via Business Week). Also, our local paper, the GDN also has two articles about the story: <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=110525&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28039">This one</a> featured as the frontpage headline story and <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=110539&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28039">this one</a> inside contains a quote from our very own <a href="http://www.mahmood.tv/">Mahmood</a>!</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1114467534898151972005-04-25T23:56:00.000+03:002005-04-26T02:00:47.276+03:00Mawlid al Rasool<a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4992.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4992.jpg'></a> <p>Here are some photos I took this afternoon in the Manama suq, which has been all decorated for the celebrations tonight of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mawlid">Prophet's birthday</a> and that of Imam Ja'far al Sadiq. I was there later in the evening also for the actual celebrations, but my camera died on me so I don't have pictures of the beautiful lights. (And I ate one too many platefuls of biryani).</p> <p>It's really quite cool how just last month the town was <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/02/hussaini-processions-commence.html">draped in black</a>, and now it's bursting with colour. It's beautiful. You can't help but feel the joy.</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4999.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4999.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5004.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5004.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5005.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5005.jpg'></a> <span class="frontonly"><p><a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/mawlid-al-rasool.html#more">Click here</a> to see the rest of the photos (there are lots more).</p></span> <span class="fullpost"> <a name="more"></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5007.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5007.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5008.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5008.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5009.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5009.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5012.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5012.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5013.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5013.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4995.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4995.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4996.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4996.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5002.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5002.jpg'></a> <p>Of course, what would a photoset be without kids:</p><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5003.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5003.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5000.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5000.jpg'></a> <p>As you can tell, I quite like all the brocade material draped everywhere. Here are a couple details if anyone cares:</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_5001.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_5001.jpg'></a> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4997.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4997.jpg'></a></span>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1114389913116474842005-04-25T02:54:00.000+03:002005-04-25T12:54:13.396+03:00Register or face legal action<p>So this is what SillyBahrainiGirl <a href="http://sillybahrainigirl.blogspot.com/2005/04/watch-this-space.html">warned us</a> about. From the <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=110287&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28036">GDN</a>:</p> <blockquote><p><b>Webmasters must register or face legal action</b></p> <p>MANAMA: Webmasters face prosecution if they defy new rules announced by Bahraini authorities. All Bahraini websites set up here or abroad must register with the Information Ministry or face legal action, it was declared yesterday.</p> <p>A six-month campaign is being launched next Monday to register all Bahraini websites, under orders from Information Minister and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed Abdul Ghaffar.</p> <p>"The ministry will announce soon the details of how each website owner or supervisor can register," Information Under-Secretary Mahmood Al Mahmood told the GDN.</p> <p>"If they fail to register then legal action will be taken against them based on the country's printing and publishing laws."</p> <p>He said websites would face similar laws to newspapers, related to libel, public decency and ethics.</p> <p>Just as a newspaper editor-in-chief is held responsible for what he publishes, so will the webmasters be, he said.</p> <p>Ministry printing and publishing director Jamal Dawood said registration procedures would be in line with those for all types of publications, including newspapers, leaflets, audio and visual media.</p></blockquote> <p>So the government actually expects me to register this blog with them? Not a chance mate! It's odd... <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/word-on-street-ii-graffiti.html">just a few days ago</a> I wrote that the current environment of relatively free speech (in large part due to websites) was the only real change brought about by King Hamad's reforms... but now it seems the government is hellbent on undoing that also. Does the government seriously think it can control the flow of information in the current day and age? I think it's time for the Information Ministry to be shut down... <a href="http://mahmood.tv/index.php/articles/695">no jokes</a> this time please.</p> <p>Bahrain bloggers, what do you make of this?</p><br />-----------<br /><p><b>Update (25-Apr-05)</b>: Head over to <a href="http://www.mahmood.tv/index.php/blog/1569">Mahmood's Den</a> to discuss what course of action we as bloggers want to take in response to this.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1114359233247012742005-04-24T18:29:00.000+03:002005-04-24T19:22:26.033+03:00More labour rage<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/kuwait_bangladesh_AP.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/kuwait_bangladesh_AP.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo source: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&amp;u=/050424/481/kuw10404241421">AP/Gustavo Ferrari (via Yahoo News)</a></span><br /> <p>From the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4478723.stm">BBC</a>:</p> <blockquote>More than 700 Bangladeshi workers have stormed their country's embassy in Kuwait, causing damage inside. [...] Mr Islam [the ambassador] told the BBC Bengali service that the motive for the attack was linked to wages not being paid. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4478723.stm">(Continued)</a></blockquote> <p>More details with <a href="http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24657775.htm">Reuters</a></p> <p>This is very worrying, but not at all surprising. There have been several similar events all over the Gulf in recent months, of migrant workers expressing anger at their situation. Usually <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/power-to-people.html">peaceful</a>, but occasionally <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/labour-rage.html">violent</a>.</p> <p>Usually this anger has been expressed towards their employers or at their host government. But this time it is against their own government. Although there is no way to condone today's violence, this should serve as a much-needed wake up call to embassies all around the Gulf. Up until now they have silently watched their citizens being abused, without demanding that the basic rule of law be applied to them. As long as the foreign remittances are flowing in there's no probs.</p> <p><i>See also: <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/expat-files.html">the Expat Files</a></i></p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1114173656240149072005-04-22T15:11:00.000+03:002005-04-25T03:55:34.296+03:00More of the same<p>As the turn of the month approaches, opposition activists have reloaded and have announced some more protests to keep the pressure on the government.</p> <p>On April 30 (the eve of Labour Day), the Committee for the Unemployed <a href="http://bahrainonline.org/showthread.php?t=120626">will hold</a> the third in its series of demonstrations. This time the protest will take the form of a march that will commence at 7.30pm from <a href="http://www.bahrainexplorer.com/BahrainExplorer/en/map/map.asp?lmkname=Jamea+Ras+Romman+Mosque%231290&highlightby=lmkname">Ras Ruman mosque</a> and will pass by the Prime Minister's office. (Read about the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/let-them-eat-baklava.html">first</a> and <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/news-roundup.html">second</a> protests.)</p> <p>On the following Friday (May 6), the second protest demanding constitutional reforms will be held. The venue this time will be next to <a href="http://www.bahrainexplorer.com/BahrainExplorer/en/map/map.asp?highlightby=lmkname&lmkname=Dana%20Mall%231789">Dana Mall</a> at 4pm. Interestingly, the <a href="http://www.montadayat.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9278">announcement</a> says that the protest is being sponsored by all four of the boycotting opposition parties, rather than just Al Wefaq as was the case for the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/constitutional-reforms-first.html">first protest</a>. Is it possible that the others have <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/where-is-everyone-else.html">finally woken up</a>?</p> <p>Well, let's see.</p><br />-----------<br /><p><b>Update (24-Apr-05)</b>: Today's GDN has the following:</p> <blockquote><p><b>Rally ‘illegal’</b></p> <p>MANAMA: Social Affairs Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi yesterday dismissed the constitutional conference general secretariat as “unlicensed and illegal”. She was commenting on news that a rally would be held on May 6 to press for constitutional reforms.</p></blockquote> <p>Things seem to <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/sitra-protest-update.html">keep repeating</a> themselves in Bahrain. But Dr Balooshi's statement sounds more like a dismissal of legitimacy, rather than the ban that was imposed on the last protest. But there's still time left, so let's see how the government responds this time.</p><br />-----------<br /><p><b>Update (25-Apr-05)</b>: More in today's <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/printnews.asp?Article=110292">GDN</a>:</p> <blockquote>A planned rally to call for constitutional changes would be an illegal act orchestrated by an illegal organisation, authorities said yesterday. The government does not recognise the group organising the rally, which is backed by four political societies that boycotted the parliamentary elections, said a senior Social Affairs Ministry official. <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/printnews.asp?Article=110292">(Continued)</a></blockquote>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1113475705879838492005-04-16T13:40:00.000+03:002005-04-16T22:05:13.163+03:00Word on the street II: Graffiti<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_2432.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_2432.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>Continuing on from my recent post "<a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/04/word-on-street.html">Word on the Street</a>", I thought I'd write a bit more about public expression, this time focusing on graffiti in Bahrain. From my observations, the graffiti can be grouped in to three general categories: (i) domestic politics, (ii) international politics, and (iii) religious.</p> <p><b>Domestic politics</b></p> <p>From my observations and memory, there wasn't any significant graffiti activity until the civil unrest starting in 1994 (older readers, please correct me if I'm wrong). This constituted the first of the three categories stated above: domestic politics. Typical phrases that were spray painted (usually in Arabic, but sometimes in English) were "We want a parliament", "we want the 1973 constitution" and "down with Al-Khalifa". Below is an example. It's hard to read because someone has already made an attempt to cover it up, but it says "We want freedom" in both Arabic and English:</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/2004-04-05-BudaiyaFlags-10.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/2004-04-05-BudaiyaFlags-10.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>It was also quite common to see spray-painted stencil portraits of (the then) opposition leader Shaikh al-Jamri, or of some of the people killed by the state security forces during the uprising. At the height of the unrest, graffiti was popping up everywhere daily. And if it was in a very public place, near a main highway for example, the government usually had it painted over immediately, leaving these huge white rectangles all over the place. New graffiti of this sort stopped emerging when the unrest ended, after Hamad became Amir (later renamed to "King") in 1999. Most of this graffiti has by now been painted over.</p> <p><b>International politics</b></p> <p>Graffiti reflecting international politics did not emerge until the second Palestinian intifada in 2000. Aside from Pro-Palestinian phrases such as "Jersualem is ours", the intifada unleashed a wave of anti-American and anti-Israeli feelings. The two photos show graffiti saying "Death to Israel":</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/2004-04-05-BudaiyaFlags-11.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/2004-04-05-BudaiyaFlags-11.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_2010.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_2010.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>The two photos below show graffiti written on public rubbish bins. The first one has "Israel" written on it, and the second one has "The White House" on it.</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_2432.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_2432.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_0130.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_0130.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>These feelings further intensified after Mohammed Juma, a <a href="http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2002nn/0204nn/020408nn.htm#700">Bahraini protestor, was killed</a> during a protest outside the US Embassy that turned violent back in April 2002. Thereafter, Juma was depicted as "Bahrain's martyr for Palestine", and spray-paint stencil portraits of him popped up everywhere. The portraits are still around, especially at bus stops for some reason.</p> <p>George Bush's war on terror also generated a significant amount of anger, but I never saw it translated in to support for Osama bin Laden... except for this one exception I found in Muharraq (the two photos show the same wall):</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_2442.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_2442.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_2443.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_2443.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>In the first photo it says "Osama bin Laden, the leader of Islam". In the second photo (which was right next to the first) it says "Conqueror of the Americans". This is the only such graffiti I've seen in Bahrain. Has anyone else seen anything similar elsewhere on the island?</p> <p><b>Religious</b></p> <p>Religious graffiti in Bahrain is usually in the form of "O Allah", or "O Hussain", or something similar:</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_2103.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_2103.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_43511.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_43511.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>I'm not really too sure what might drive someone to get a can of spray paint and write something like this on a wall. It seems to lack the urgency that might motivate one to write something about a precise political issue. But what is interesting is the use of religious phrases to convey a political issue. Phrases such as "Enough of humiliation" and "Death with honor is better than life in subservience" are usually associated with the events of Karbala and <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/02/muharram-1426-2005.html">Ashura</a>. But spray-painted on walls, these phrases take on a very political meaning, especially during the civil unrest of 90s.</p> <p><b>So what?</b></p> <p>I think it is very significant that there has been very little graffiti activity over the past two or three years. It says alot. One would expect people to resort to graffiti only when there is no other outlet for public expression, as was the case in Bahrain a few years ago. Today, the <a href="http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/Mena/bahrain.htm">local Press has a bit more freedom</a> than it did before. Political protests and conferences take place very frequently, whereas they were not tolerated whatsoever before. And the arrival of the Internet has made a huge difference with the emergence of online forums and blogs, allowing cheap, fast, and <a href="http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/bahrain/">(almost) unregulated</a> communication with people in Bahrain and around the world.</p> <p>Yes, the government has in several recent cases attempted to intimidate people in to keeping quiet (the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/al-khawaja-affair.html">Al-Khawaja affair</a>, the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/free-ali.html">BahrainOnline arrests</a>, the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/updates-sitra-rally-and-factory.html">Sitra protest</a>), so there is yet a ways to go. But the situation today is drastically different from just a few years ago when the regime had a complete stranglehold on the flow of information in Bahrain. Just a few years ago I would not have dared to set up a blog like this, out of concern for the safety of myself and loved ones. Just a few years ago, a <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/10/superstar-is-born.html">peaceful protest demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister</a> would have been met with tear gas and rubber bullets.</p> <p>This relative freedom of speech is, in my opinion, the only change brought about by King Hamad's reforms that is real and significant. The parliament has so far been fruitless, the government is still run by a single family, and the courts are still not independent. But as long as this current environment of (relatively) free speech is maintained the rest of the reforms will inevitably come, sooner or later. So be worried if you see lots of new graffiti on the walls.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1113263462274821722005-04-12T01:34:00.000+03:002005-04-12T13:17:53.126+03:00Mannequin<a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/mannequin.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/mannequin2.jpg'></a> <p>With all this talk of <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1689173">boys getting aroused by lingerie-clad mannequins</a> I was reminded of a movie that explores the logical possibilities of such a situation. If you were around in 1987 then you will surely recall a movie by the name of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093493/">Mannequin</a>. In this 80s cult classic a young man by the name of Jonathan Switcher actually falls in love with a beautiful shop display mannequin. I won't spoil the rest of the story for you, but I will tell you that the tagline for the movie was:</p> <blockquote>Just because Jonathan's fallen in love with a piece of wood, it doesn't make him a dummy.</blockquote> <p>Very appropriate. (This film is second only to maybe <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/">Ferris Bueller</a> in the genre of retarded 80s movies).</p> <p>Movies aside, I think that Muharraq councillor Majeed Karimi (Al Wefaq), who wants a ban on the mannequins, raises some important points. He says, according to the <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1689173">GDN</a>:</p> <blockquote>These mannequins look like real women with exactly the same features.</blockquote> <p>Mr. Karimi is not the only person who has been pondering over this. Just a few weeks ago Tunisian blogger MMM (of <a href="http://www.subzeroblue.com/archives/002176.html">Subzero Blue</a>) raised some related though-provoking questions:</p> <blockquote>The other day while walking by some store windows, the question hit me:<br /><b>"When the hell did they start putting nipples on mannequins?!"</b><br />Is it that the stores are really cold?<br />Are the mannequins excited by the fact that people are staring at them?<br />Are they implying that the clothes are made for chilly days only?<br />Or maybe they're saying that whatever the weather, nipples will show through these clothes? <a href="http://www.subzeroblue.com/archives/002176.html">(Continued)</a></blockquote> <p>Okay seriously... <b>seriously</b>... I don't think that Mr Karimi's argument is a complete non-issue. Here in Bahrain where most females dress conservatively, it doesn't surprise me that mannequins in lingerie might "offend" some people. It's all relative. Just think back to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXXVIII_Halftime_controversy">the scandal</a> created when Janet Jackson revealed her breast during the Super Bowl halftime show in the much more liberal United States. So maybe Karimi has a debatable point... I just don't think that the municipal council should be wasting its time or resources dicussing this now when there are far more pressing issues to be dealt with.</p> <p>Now go watch the movie and remind yourself of how cool it was to wear white trousers.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1113100035921805652005-04-10T01:16:00.000+03:002005-04-11T23:26:35.393+03:00News roundup<p>Some random news and updates from the past week or so that I haven't had a chance to discuss.</p> <p><b>Protest news:</b></p> <ul><li>The government has <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_articles.asp?Article=108719&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28017">scrapped</a> its <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/updates-sitra-rally-and-factory.html">plans to prosecute</a> Al Wefaq for the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/constitutional-reforms-first.html">huge illegal rally</a> held in Sitra at the end of last month. Well done to Social Affairs Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi for having the sense to end this issue amicably, rather than further escalating it.</li> <li> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/bahrainonline.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/bahrainonline.jpg' align='top'></a> <p>However, the charges against the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/free-ali.html">BahrainOnline Trio</a> still are still being pursued. So, on April 5, supporters held a protest in the Seef area demanding that the government drop its charges. Photos are <a href="http://bahrainonline.org/showthread.php?t=119738">here</a> (scroll down a bit.)</p></li> <li><a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/ataleen.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/ataleen.jpg' align='top'></a> <p>On April 2, the Committee for the Unemployed held its <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B22BC9C1-D2FE-4EFD-881D-6A0C55B14A61.htm">second protest</a> in the Seef Area. Photos are <a href="http://www.montadayat.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9168">here</a>, and the press release from the Committee is <a href="http://bahrainonline.org/showpost.php?p=843600&postcount=11">here</a> (scroll down to the bottom for the English version). The next protest will take place on Labour Day (May 1). Read my account of the first protest <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/let-them-eat-baklava.html">here</a>.</p></li> </ul> <p><b>From the Parliament:</b></p><ul><li>The Council of Representatives has <a href="http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=159706">approved the formation</a> of an Islamic vice and virtue committee that will "offer advice in order to safeguard virtue in society and combat harmful behaviour". However, the bill needs to be approved by the government appointed Shura Council before it can be put into effect. Since the government has expressed its opposition to the idea, the bill will hopefully (fingers crossed, knock on wood) never see the light of day. (If I'm not mistaken, this isn't the first that our Parliament has taken up this issue.)</li> <li>Al Menbar (Muslim Brotherhood) and Al Asala (Salafi), the very same parties that supported the above-mentioned bill for a vice committee, have <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=108452&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28014">blocked a bill</a> that would decrease the power of the Shura Council. This is interesting because it shows that these guys are aware that they are nothing without the support of the government, so they have passed up the opportunity to increase their own legislative powers. I suspect that they are banking on the help of the government during the 2006 elections (in which the hugely popular Shia Islamist group Al Wefaq may eventually choose to participate).</li> <li>I haven't had a chance to find out the details yet, but apparently the government has <a href="http://khaleejtimes.com/Displayarticle.asp?section=middleeast&xfile=data/middleeast/2005/april/middleeast_april198.xml">proposed a bill</a> to Parliament for an anti-terror law. Opposition groups have condemned the proposed law as a violation of personal freedoms and freedom of expression.</li> <li>While announcing to Parliament the preparation of a new nationality law, the Minister of State for Shura Council and Parliament Affairs <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_articles.asp?Article=108718&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28017">denied any evidence of illegal naturalizations</a>. Some MPs objected to this claim and provided their side of the story... which offended the Right Honourable MP Mohammed Khalid so much that he walked out in protest!</li></ul> <p><b>The expat files:</b></p> <ul><li>The Philippines is <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_articles.asp?Article=108506&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28015">considering a ban</a> on sending its citizens to work as maids in Bahrain and the Gulf, after a rise in complaints of abuse. This follows similar bans by the <a href="http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?ArticleId=62392">Indonesian</a> and <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=108099&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28010">Bangladeshi</a> government last month. This is unfortunate for those maids who end up with humane employers, but I don't blame the governments for their concern (especially after <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/maid-tied-up-for-month.html">this case</a> from across the causeway). On a better note though, it is being said that housemaids will be <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=108007&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28009">granted some rights</a> under the Labour Law as part of changes being implemented by the Crown Prince's labour reforms project. I hope they're serious. Read more about <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/expat-files.html">migrant workers in Bahrain</a>.</li></ul>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1112886312627743252005-04-07T17:43:00.000+03:002005-04-08T04:25:22.823+03:00Word on the street<p>A couple weeks back I wrote about the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/constitutional-reforms-first.html">huge Opposition protest</a> in Sitra, and how it was branded with the official slogan "Consitutional Reform First":</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_47011.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_47011.jpg'></a> <p>In that post I also mentioned that the pro-government groups, lead by the Salafist group Al Asala, published statements in support of the government in the local papers, and presented its counter-slogan "Bahrain First". Well while driving around today I noticed some roadside signs displaying this same counter-slogan:</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4916.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4916.jpg'></a> <p>I took the above photo in Budaiya near the <a href="http://www.northern.gov.bh/">Northern governorate</a> office (at the same site where I found <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/12/challenging-political-order.html">this sign</a> and <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/05/greeting-back-people-of-bahrain.html">this one</a>). However similar signs seem to have been placed all around the island... I saw them in several places along Budaiya Highway, and also in the Manama/Juffair area.</p> <p>Notice that the signs of both the Opposition and the pro-Government groups feature the national flag prominently. It seems almost like the way in Lebanon how the pro-government protesters responded to the anti-government protests by also utilizing the Lebanese national flag and nationalist symbols, rather than any other communal or party symbols. So here in Bahrain too, the pro-government groups have decided respond to the Opposition's nationalism with more nationalism, but has gone a step further by using the counter-slogan "<b>Bahrain</b> First"; as though that makes any real difference. In any case, I'm relieved that the pro-govt folks have chosen to use the national flag to express their support for the regime rather than plaster <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/01/just-say-no-to-public-bumlicking.html">mugs of the Royal Three</a> all over the place... thank you Lebanon!</p> <p>But this is not the only example of competition in the public space taking place currently. There is a (seemingly) religious one going on also. If you're currently in Bahrain then you have probably noticed the religious signs that popped up on lamp posts all over the island about six months ago (I think). They usually have blue type on white background and look like this:</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4920.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4920.jpg'></a> <p>The above sign says "Glorified is God, the Great". Other varieties of the same sign have different phrases written on them, such as: "God is great", "Remember God", "Don't forget God", "Ask forgiveness from God", etc etc... you get the picture.</p> <p>Recently though (over the past month), a different sign, coloured in green, has arrived on the scene. The sign is often placed near, or adjacent to the white signs shown above. For example:</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4918.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4918.jpg'></a> <p>On top is a variety of the old white sign, and underneath has recently been attached the new green sign. And there is only one phrase written on all of the new signs: "O Allah, send Thy blessings upon Mohammed and the Household of Mohammed". Now, this phrase and the previous ones are commonly used by both Sunnis and Shias. However this one ("blessing upon Mohammed...") seems to have a special significance to the Shia, and is invoked by them far more frequently than Sunnis. So, I'm lead to believe that the white signs were probably put up by one of the Sunni organizations, and the green signs were a tit-for-tat response by one of the Shia groups.</p> <p>It's all very interesting to study, but I'm not sure if I need street signs to tell me which road leads to God.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1112621414047967692005-04-05T18:29:00.000+03:002005-04-06T13:36:38.623+03:00Mullahs in verse<p>Some of you might recall an incident in Bahrain back in 1994 in which some youths reportedly threw stones at bare-legged women running in the annual charity marathon. Thankfully, nothing of the sort has ever happened here again. However, the story repeated itself on a much grander scale in the Pakistani city of Gujranwala a couple days ago. The <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4406431.stm">BBC</a> reports:</p> <blockquote><p>Pakistani police have clashed with demonstrators protesting against the participation of women in a 10km road race in eastern Pakistan.</p> <p>[...]</p> <p>The clashes erupted after supporters of the Islamic religious parties alliance (<a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/mma.htm">MMA</a>) attacked the men and women contesting the race with batons and stones, police said.</p> <p>The protesters blocked the race course and chased competitors away as they approached the sports stadium where they were expected to finish race.</p> <p>A spokesman for the MMA told the Associated Press news agency that the alliance had warned organisers against holding the race "because it is against Islam".</p> <p>"They want to undress the entire nation," Riaz Durrani said.</p> <p>"It is indecent for women to run in the streets. They want the sisters and sisters-in-law of the nation to wear knickers and T-shirts." <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4406431.stm">(Continued)</a></p></blockquote> <p>The pictures that were being shown on Pakistani television showed a huge mob of bearded and turbanned mullahs running around with great big sticks in their hands. It's interesting though that this image of mullahs has existed for hundreds of years, and criticism of them has existed since. In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waris_Shah">Waris Shah</a>'s poetic rendition of the epic Punjabi tale "<a href="http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/heercomp/">Heer</a>" (written in 1766), the main protagonist, Ranjha encounters a mullah in a mosque. The mullah doesn't like the way Ranja looks and tells him in caricature fashion (translated by <a href="http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/najamheer/page1.html">Najam Hussain Syed</a>):</p> <blockquote>A mosque is the house of God. Those not in line with the Sharia cannot be allowed to enter here. Dogs and dirty fakirs are to be bound and punished with lashes by us. We tear off the trousers if they fall lower than the ankles. And we singe the hair that grow around the lips. The enemies of God we shun like dogs from a distance.</blockquote> <p>And of course, Ranjha responded to the Mullah in kind:</p> <blockquote>News of death brings the odour of Halwa to your nostrils, you pray for the living to shorten their stay on this earth. The Sharia is the cover for the dishes of your desire. Your concern for sinning is boundless. To the homeless seeking shelter for a while your doors are always closed.</blockquote> <p>By no means was Waris Shah the only poet to characterize and criticize the mullahs in this manner. Another famous Punjabi poet of 1700s, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulleh_Shah">Bulleh Shah</a>, was quite prolific in his scathing comments about them. Here's something that many of today's sufi musicians quite like to include in their songs (translation from <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/poetry/sweets/poetry4/jogee.htm">here</a>):</p> <blockquote>[He] Read a lot and became a scholar<br />But [he] never read himself<br />[He] goes enters into the temple & mosque<br />But [he] never entered into his own heart<br /><br />He fights with the devil every day for nothing<br />He never wrestled with his own ego<br />Bulleh Shah, he grabs for heavenly flying things<br />But doesn't grasp the one who's sitting at home<br /><br />Religious scholars stay awake at night<br />But dogs stay awake at night, higher than you<br />They don't cease from barking at night<br />Then they go sleep in yards, higher than you<br /><br />They [dogs] don't leave the beloved's doorstep<br />Even if they're beaten hundreds of times, higher than you<br />Bulleh Shah get up and make up with the beloved<br />Otherwise dogs will win the contest, better than you</blockquote> <p>And the translation of a famous couplet by Bulleh Shah:</p> <blockquote>The mullah and the torch-bearer<br />Hail from the same stock;<br />They give light to others,<br />And themselves are in the dark.</blockquote> <p>A more recent example can be found in the works of the Indian poet-philosopher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Iqbal">Muhammad Iqbal</a>, who wrote around the turn of the twentieth century. It is ironic that many mullahs today go around spouting verses of Iqbal to support their positions, yet his poetry is filled with open criticism of them. In a poem of his called "<a href="http://www.eurdubazaar.com/images/iqbal/g5.html">The Mullah and Paradise</a>" he writes (translated by <a href="http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/bal/translation/">Naeem Siddiqui</a>):</p> <blockquote>When in a vision I saw<br />A mullah ordered to paradise,<br />Unable to hold my tongue,<br />I said something in this wise:<br /><br />‘Pardon me, O Lord,<br />For these bold words of mine,<br />But he will not be pleased<br />With the houris and the wine.<br /><br />He loves to dispute and fight,<br />And furiously wrangle,<br />But paradise is no place<br />For this kind of jangle.<br /><br />His task is to disunite<br />And leave people in the lurch,<br />But paradise has no temple,<br />No mosque and no church.’</blockquote> <p>There are countless other writings from within the South Asian Muslim poetic tradition that characterize and criticize the mullahs in this way. But I'm wondering, does anything similar exist in Muslim traditions from other parts of the world (particularly in Arabic writings)? It would be interesting to compare.</p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1112710989921309132005-04-05T15:36:00.000+03:002005-04-07T15:40:12.056+03:00Stuff this week<p>There are going to be some great movies showing this weekend during the <i>Soorya International DVD festival</i> if any of you are interested. All the films are <b>FREE!</b> and will be screened at the <a href="http://www.bahrainexplorer.com/BahrainExplorer/en/map/map.asp?highlightby=lmkname&lmkname=Bahrain%20Society%20Of%20Engineers%231876">Bahrain Society of Engineers premises</a> in Juffair. I've stolen the details from the <a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=108629&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28016">GDN</a>:</p> <br /><b>Wednesday</b> <ul><li>7pm: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040497/">Jour de fête</a> (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004244/">Jacques Tati</a>, 1949, French)</li> <li>8.45pm: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032553/">The Great Dictator</a> (Charlie Chaplin, 1940, English)</li></ul> <b>Thursday</b> <ul><li><strike>7pm: <a href="http://www.kayataran.com/">Kaya Taran</a> (Sashi Kumar, 2004, Hindi) -- The director Sashi Kumar will be arriving in Bahrain tomorrow for the festival. This movie straddles the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Sikh_Riots">anti-Sikh riots</a> of 1984 and the <a href="http://in.rediff.com/news/godhra.htm">Gujarat riots of 2002</a>, so it should be quite an interesting watch (if you're not bored of watching explorations into communal violence).</strike> <i>Update: Kaya Taran has been cancelled, so the following movies will be shown instead</i></li> <li>7pm: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043972/">The River</a> (<a href="http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/renoir.htm">Jean Renoir</a>, 1951, English)</li> <li>8.45pm: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280465/">Bawandar</a> (Jag Mundhra, 2000, Hindi)</li></ul> <b>Friday</b> <ul><li>10.30am: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058888/">Red Beard</a> (Kurosawa, 1965, Japanese) -- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Kurosawa">Kurosawa</a> and <a href="http://www.sprout.org/toshiro/index.html">Toshiro Mifune</a>... enough said.</li> <li>4pm: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046828/">Carmen Jones</a> (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0695937/">Otto Preminger</a>, 1954, English)</li> <li>7pm: A film by <a href="http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/ghatak.html">Ritwick Ghatak</a> (it didn't say which one). I haven't yet had a chance to see any of Ghatak's films, so I'm really looking forward to this.</li></ul> <b>Saturday</b> <ul><li>7.15pm: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386562/">Just Like You Imagined</a> (<a href="http://www.tiburonfilmfestival.com/contactInfo.php?contact_id=2650">Zeyad Alhusaini</a>, 2003, English) -- This movie sounds fascinating... an 11 minute short, sci-fi, in English, by a Kuwaiti director.</li> <li>8.45pm: The <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112445/">White Balloon</a> (Jafar Panahi, 1995, Persian) -- This is a brilliant brilliant film, written by <a href="http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/kiarostami.html">Abbas Kiarostami</a>. One of my favourite films of New Wave Iranian Cinema.</li></ul> <p>Also, the <a href="http://bahraincinemaclub.tv/">Bahrain Cinema Club</a> will be showing <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329388/">Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran</a> this Wednesday evening at 8pm as part of its weekly screenings at the <a href="http://www.bahrainexplorer.com/BahrainExplorer/en/map/map.asp?lmkname=Bahrain+Historical+And+Archaeological+Society%232756&highlightby=lmkname">BCC premises</a>. This isn't the most amazing movie in the world, but worth watching just to see Omar Sharif's fine performance.</p> <p>Also on Wednesday at 8.30pm, fellow blogger <a href="http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=swaalkes">Dr Scott Waalkes</a> will deliver a lecture titled "Possibilities and Problems with the Forward Strategy of Freedom" at the <a href="http://www.aldemokrati.com/">National Democratic Action Society</a> premises in Umm al Hassam.</p> <p>And of course don't forget that tonight is the Champions League matchup we've been waiting for: Juventus v Liverpool at Anfield... <a href="http://www.juventus.com/">Forza Juve!</a></p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1112313686468868482005-04-01T02:26:00.000+03:002005-04-01T15:06:20.803+03:00Black Saturday<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/aliabdurazzaq2.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/aliabdurazzaq2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/jaaferateya2.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/jaaferateya2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>From the <a href="http://vob.org/english/information-db/jamri.htm">Voice of Bahrain</a> website:</p> <blockquote>On Saturday 1 April 1995 at 3.00 am, the village of Bani Jamra (where Sheikh Al-Jamri [a leading opposition figure during the 1990s uprising in Bahrain] resides) was encircled by thousands of paramilitary forces. The neighbours of Sheikh Al-Jamri (around six to eight of them) were ordered to evacuate their houses within minutes or be sprayed with gunfire. The next neighbour (Mr Omran Hussain Omran) has had his two daughters injured, one of them in critical condition as a result of a bullet in the head. The husband of the latter, Mohammed Jaafer Yousif Atteya, 30 years old, was shot dead by a machine-gun. Later, the neighbours demonstrated, more were shot and up to fifty were injured. One of them already passed away, Mr. Mohammed Ali Abdul Razzaq, a 50 years old carpenter, who rushed to save his injured son, Asaad, but found himself the target of machine guns. The funeral of the two was prevented and only a handful of relatives were allowed in the cemetery for the last farewell.</blockquote> <p>This day was henceforth known as Black Saturday, and today marks the 10 year anniversary of this sad event.</p> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4827.jpg"><img class="phostImg" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4827.jpg" border="0" /></a> <p>Last night a group of around 300 Bani Jamra residents and activists from around Bahrain held a demonstration in the village to commemorate the event. The purpose of this was to mourn the dead (Mohammed Ali Abdul Razzaq and Mohammed Jaafer Yousif Atteya), to pass on the story to the next generation of Bani Jamra residents and Bahrainis, and to renew the call for the criminals to be brought to justice.</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4848.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4848.jpg'></a> <p>It has been ten years since the original Black Saturday, yet the government has refused to talk about (let alone admit the possibility of error) what happened during the early hours of that day. The government refuses to talk about any of the accusations of torture and murder that activists have laid against it. Instead, in 2002 the King issued <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/repeal-56.html">Royal Decree 56</a> which grants amnesty to anyone accused of crimes affecting national security committed before 2001.</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4843.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4843.jpg'></a> <p>While I commend some of the attempts at political reform taken by the ruling regime since 2001, it has to realize that there is no way to avoid truth and reconciliation. It's all well to look to the future, but the mistakes of the past have to be admitted so that the people can be confident that they will not be committed again. Until then, the dark memories and anger against the regime will continue to fester, as was demonstrated last night when a section of the crowd broke into impromptu chants of "Death to Al-Khalifa". I hope that one day in the future, members of the regime might even participate in the Black Saturday commemorations themselves. But right now their silence on the issue maintains the deep divide that exists between the rulers and the people. I thought this photo illustrates the current situation well:</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/discrimination.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/discrimination.jpg'></a> <p>It was taken during a <a href="http://www.montadayat.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9066">recent symposium</a> about <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/conclusions-on-discrimination.html">discrimination</a> in Bahrain. The chair was placed on the platform next to all of the speakers, but remained empty. The sign says "government representative", and the image of the empty seat indicates how the government has refused to engage in any serious dialogue with opposition activists since the reforms of 2001.</p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/100_4860.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/100_4860.jpg'></a> <p>Above: Lighting candles around the graves</p> <p><i>See also: <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/repeal-56.html">Repeal 56</a></i></p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1112270468837545042005-03-31T14:35:00.000+03:002005-03-31T15:04:33.936+03:00Bahrain in the press<p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8175-2005Mar28.html">Washington Post</a> article on the use of text messages by activists in the Gulf:</p> <blockquote><p>"My bill is going sky high," said Abduljalil Singace, foreign affairs director of Bahrain's Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the island emirate's largest opposition grouping, a Shiite Muslim movement that is noisily boycotting the country's three-year-old, limited parliament.</p> <p>Singace was fired as an associate professor and department chair at Bahrain University in mid-March after he traveled twice to Washington to lobby against his country's royal government, a close U.S. ally. He said Bahrain's security services also told him to stop sending dissident text messages. The Bahrain government says Singace was discharged for neglecting his duties at the university.</p> <p>"They warned me against text messaging on demonstrations," Singace said. Before the warning, he said, "I was not sure they were reading my text messages. Now I'm telling everyone."</p> <p>Still, he remains proud of some of his compositions. When American management consultants issued a report recently about how Bahrain's government could accelerate reform of its free-trading economy, Singace whipped off a reply and paid a commercial service to distribute his message throughout the island.</p> <p>"Economic reform without political reform is like a bird with only one wing," he wrote. "How can it fly?" <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8175-2005Mar28.html">(Continued)</a></p></blockquote> <p>And a very brief mention in the <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0331/p01s04-wome.html">Christian Science Monitor</a> about the demand for democracy in the Middle East:</p> <blockquote>In Bahrain last week, the largest protests in memory saw the country's politically disenfranchised Shiite majority saying enough to pro-American King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's policies. <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0331/p01s04-wome.html">(Continued)</a></blockquote> <p>I also stumbled across a full article about Bahrain from the World Socialist Web Site: <a href="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/bahr-m29.shtml">American media silent over mass protest in Bahrain</a>. It's quite sensationalized (typical of contemporary Leftist literature), but worth a read:</p> <blockquote><p>The hypocrisy of Washington’s self-proclaimed crusade for democracy in the Middle East found damning expression this week in the nearly total silence of the US government and the American media over a demonstration that brought tens of thousands of protesters into the streets of Bahrain last Friday demanding democratic reforms.</p> <p>The contrast between the reaction to this popular upsurge against a dictatorial monarch in the Persian Gulf and the attention lavished on the so-called “Cedar Revolution” in Lebanon could not have been starker. <a href="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/bahr-m29.shtml">(Continued)</a></p></blockquote>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1112016601425763202005-03-28T14:58:00.000+03:002005-03-28T18:02:34.266+03:00Updates: Sitra rally and Factory rampage<p>Some updates to stories I've posted about recently:</p> <p><a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1583077">Today's GDN</a> reports that the Cabinet condemned the illegal <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/constitutional-reforms-first.html">Consitutional Reform Rally</a> that was held in Sitra on Friday. And once again the GDN decides to not include any statements from Al Wefaq. According to <a href="http://bahrainonline.org/showthread.php?t=119081">a post on BahrainOnline</a> last night, the Cabinet has asked the Interior Ministry to take action against Al Wefaq, which may involve a closure of the group for 45 days. (I'm not sure what the government hopes to achieve by shutting down or suspending a group's license. Recall that the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/09/centre-for-human-rights-shut-down.html">was shut down</a>, yet last month representatives travelled all the way to Geneva to deliver a <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/conclusions-on-discrimination.html">shadow report to the UN</a> condemning the goverment!) Meanwhile, the Committee for the Unemployed will be holding the <a href="http://www.montadayat.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=9136">second in its series</a> of demonstrations in the Seef district this Saturday (April 2) at 3.30pm, coinciding with <a href="http://www.bahraingp.com/">Formula 1 weekend</a>. It will be interesting to see how government responds to this. (The police did not interfere with the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/let-them-eat-baklava.html">first protest</a>, held last month).</p> <p>And more details of the <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/labour-rage.html">factory rampage</a> on Saturday are emerging. The <a href="http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=158202">Gulf News</a> reports:</p> <blockquote><p>The workers — mainly from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — claimed two other workers had committed suicide in the past, another died of a heart attack and five others became insane as a result of harsh working conditions that require them to work for more than 12 hours daily. They blamed the manager of the factory for their ordeal.</p> <p>The workers also alleged physical abuse by floor managers and said they were not getting proper food and medical care.</p> <p>Harinder Lamba, general manager of the company, dismissed the claims of mistreatment and low-wages <i>[Hah!]</i> as untrue. <a href="http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=158202">(Continued)</a></p></blockquote> <p>The <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1583075">GDN</a> provides further details, reporting that the workers have submitted petitions to the Indian and Bangladeshi embassies:</p> <blockquote><p>Over 400 workers are calling for an investigation into the suicide of an Indian tailor, which prompted a riot at the garment factory where he worked.</p> <p>They submitted a petition to the Indian and Bangladesh Embassies, as well as the police, yesterday demanding action against the management of MRS Fashions, in East Riffa.</p> <p>The workers claim Madhu Babu, 25, was driven into taking his own life because of the ill-treatment that was dished out to him.</p> <p>A tailor who spoke on behalf of his colleagues said it is the third such incident at the company in two years.</p> <p>He claimed that Mr Babu was the second employee to commit suicide, while a third man allegedly suffered a heart attack because he was overworked. "<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">We want the company to treat us as human beings</span>," said the spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous.</p> <p>"We all witnessed what happened to Mr Babu and we no longer feel safe working there." <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1583075">(Continued)</a></p></blockquote>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863946.post-1111935410094962262005-03-27T16:58:00.000+03:002005-03-27T21:37:37.193+03:00Labour rage<p>From today's <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1581730">GDN</a>:</p> <blockquote><p><b>Workers go on rampage after suicide</b></p> <a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/640/Lpic1.jpg'><img border='0' class='phostImg' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/242/898/280/Lpic1.jpg'></a> <p>MANAMA: Workers of a top garment factory went on a rampage last night following the death of a colleague. More than 500 Asians working for the MRS Fashions, which makes trousers for J C Penny, started damaging the factory's East Riffa premises after their colleague, who was kept in isolation for 15 days due to chicken pox, committed suicide. <a href="http://cache.spurl.net/?id=1581730">(Continued)</a></p></blockquote> <p>There aren't enough details to be able to comment on this specific case. But here is a general message to the government and the business community: Wake up! Migrant workers make up 35% of the resident population. If safeguards to protect the rights of these workers are not introduced soon, this could blow up into something far far worse. Homer wrote <a href="http://bahrainiblog.blogspot.com/2004/11/gulf-29th-state-of-india.html">a post a while back</a> postulating what the consequences might be in extreme circumstances. I wrote a post in reponse to his which you can read <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/11/naturalized-changes.html">here</a>.</p> <p>Anyways, if all of these migrant workers were to organize themselves and hold a general strike or something, it would have a substantial impact on the economy. (I certainly hope that the violence that occurred yesterday is never repeated). This isn't an immediate threat, but steps to prevent it need to be taken now before it's too late. Most important I think is to make sure that workers are paid on time, and that defaulting employers are punished.</p> <p><i>See also: <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2005/03/power-to-people.html">Power to the people</a> and <a href="http://chanadbahraini.blogspot.com/2004/04/expat-files.html">The expat files</a>.</i></p>Chanadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07289587012699300257noreply@blogger.com0